Lead Design CORE Apparel Men

PUMA SE; Herzogenaurach; On-site; EUR 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

PUMA SE is seeking a Lead Design for CORE Apparel Men to evolve the brand's high-volume collection across seasons. You will translate seasonal direction into a contemporary, commercially relevant line while co-owning the CORE design plan and ensuring consistent brand messaging across the range.

The role requires a strong background in fabric and construction, plus strategic and creative thinking to elevate product quality and value.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Design or a relevant field.
• At least 8 years designing apparel for leading sports & lifestyle brands, with high-volume or core ranges.

Responsibilities

• Evolve CORE Apparel (Lead Design) for high-volume, broad-distribution collections.
• Translate seasonal trends into a contemporary, desirable catalog that hits business targets.
• Co-own the annual CORE design plan and ensure brand consistency across the range.

Skills

Design leadership

Trend forecasting

Material/constructive engineering

Brand storytelling

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Design

Tools

Illustrator

InDesign

Photoshop

Vizcom

Job description

Lead Design CORE Apparel Men

SPEED & SPIRIT is what we look for in our candidates, defined by some simple values that inspire us to BE DRIVEN in our performance, BE VIBRANT in our sporting legacy, BE TOGETHER in our team spirit, and BE YOU to let our individual talent and experience shine.

• As Lead Design for CORE Apparel, evolve PUMA's highest-volume, broadest-distribution apparel collection season on season
• Keeping it contemporary, desirable and commercially relevant as the foundation that carries the Brand's stories across the full distribution
• Co-own the annual CORE design plan and translate seasonal trend direction into a contemporary, desirable collection that delivers business targets and category objectives, evolving the range through trend-right newness
• Elevate the collection through material, construction and detail, building genuine functionality into fabric choice, engineering and finishing to lift product quality and perceived value across a volume range
• Strategically develop and steward the franchise and range set-up so CORE delivers one consistent Brand message across the full line and price architecture
• Ensure the quality and integrity of design content to reinforce PUMA's brand position and generate consumer demand, working with a consumer-first mindset
• Gather, interpret and apply market and trend insights keeping the team current on directions, materials and cultural shifts
• Integrate product and technical developments into design independently, meeting functionality requirements through material and construction and travel to factories to finalize prototypes
• Deliver all projects in line with the PUMA development calendar and keep design information accurate and up to date in the data systems.
  
• Bachelor's degree in Design or a relevant field of study.
• At least 8 years designing apparel for one or more leading sports & lifestyle brands, ideally including high-volume or core ranges.
• Proven ability to evolve a collection through trend-right newness and keep it commercially desirable
• Strong material and construction expertise + able to elevate product and engineer functionality into fabric, build and detail.
• Franchise and range-architecture thinking: able to structure a line so it carries a consistent Brand message across range and price.
• Professional working experience with Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Vizcom etc.
• Excellent technical background relating to fabrics and product development.
• Both strategic and creative thinking, strong initiative, passionate about product.
• Vertical mindset with the consumer at the centre.
• Attention to detail and extraordinary time-management skills
• Strong communication, presentation and storytelling skills

PUMA provides equal opportunities for all job applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or disability. Equality for all is one of the core principles at PUMA and we do not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination.

At PUMA, every application is reviewed by real people who are committed to fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity - no matter your background, identity, or experience. To ensure our process stays true to these values, no automated systems or AI tools are used to make hiring decisions. Every decision is made by real people -with real judgment and accountability. We may use functions supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI) to carry out isolated organizational steps, such as scheduling interviews. These functions have no influence on decisions in the application process. We believe in creating spaces where everyone is welcome, celebrated, and empowered to contribute authentically. Because at PUMA, whoever wants to play, can play.

PUMA is a global sports brand creating footwear, apparel, and accessories that inspire athletes and everyday movers. The PUMA Group owns PUMA, Cobra Golf, and stichd, operates in 120+ countries, and has around 22,000 employees worldwide.

The PUMA corporate Headquarters are located in Herzogenaurach or Herzo, as we like to call our hometown, located in southern Germany close to Nuremberg. Every day, more than 1000 colleagues walk through our doors, ready to push sport and fashion forward. And if you’re lucky, you just might run into Usain Bolt or Antoine Griezmann walking down the hall.